Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

If the Senator looks at the section, far from being a barrier, it is facilitating. It requires certain matters to be drawn to the attention of potential asylum seekers. We could have a situation where no interview could take place under the section at Dublin Airport, Dún Laoghaire or anywhere else unless a lawyer was present.

To make any sense of the amendment it would be necessary for the immigration officer to draw to the attention of the person that they could have a lawyer present and to give them lists of lawyers. Asylum-seekers are hardly going to say that they want eminent senior counsel or solicitors known to them. It would mean in effect that the whole process would grind to a halt and any capacity to make a fairly instant appraisal of the situation or to sort out whether they were dealing with an application for asylum or not would have to be deferred until lawyers became involved in the issue.